This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/803,608, filed Mar. 14, 2013, which issued Jan. 10, 2017 as U.S. Pat. No. 9,539,155 and which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/719,239, filed Oct. 26, 2012, each of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The present disclosure relates to a patient support apparatus, and particularly, to a patient support apparatus and a control system configured to control various functions of the patient support apparatus. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a control system configured to control interaction between caregivers, patients, and service providers regarding the use and implementation of features included in the patient support apparatus.
It is known to provide patient support apparatuses that are configured to provide various features and therapies which caregivers and patients may desire to use. The cost of a patient support apparatus having many features and therapies available may be significant to the caregiver or patient. As a result, caregivers and patients may rent such patient support apparatuses for the limited times such features and therapies are needed. As a result, scheduling, shipping, and service of the patient support apparatus must be managed and coordinated.
It is also known to adjust features and therapies of the patient support apparatuses in the event maintenance or patient care necessitates such changes. When such an adjustment is needed, service providers often send a technician to the patient support apparatus to make adjustments. In the event of a maintenance event, the technician may enable alternative therapies or features until the desired feature or therapy is repaired. In the event of patient care calls for a change, the technician may enable the desired feature or therapy or provide an alternate therapy where patient care may be maximized as a result.
It is also known that certain therapies and features may not be covered by a patient's insurance provider. As a result, a caregiver may enable a feature or therapy which is not reimbursable by the insurance. Such cost may not be readily chargeable back to the patient and costs to the caregiver and patient are not optimized.
It is also know that billing of patients and caregivers for the time features and therapies are actually in use is inaccurate due to the limited availability of information. Caregivers and patients may be billed from the time the patient support apparatus is delivered from the service provider to the time the patient support apparatus is returned to the service provided. Caregivers may also be billed from the time a technician enables a feature or therapy to the time patient support apparatus is reconfigured for another patient. As a result, billing is inaccurate and inefficient.